The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-20
wAsuBURNE,s "REMINISCENCES
OF the Siege Of Paris-Chnrres Mndo by a
Russian Official, lEus ...H.

OF the Siege Of Paris-Chnrres Made by a
Russian Official. sLWa Flm
PARIS, Jan. l9.-The publication in
Scribner's Magazine OF e1-Slinister Wash
burno's "Reminiscences OF the Siege and
Com mmune OF Paria," has created q good
deal OF Indignation ia France. and tho
comment Of lie Figaro, is: "Mr. Washburne
shows very little oympathy for u.s." may
be fairly accepted as expressing tho gen
ersl sentiment hera. In retaliation ior
what the French consider ~ uncal!ed-for
insinuationS in the "Reminiscences, Mr..
Washburno's record as Minister OF the
Unitod States in Paris during the segs of
tho city has been oyerhauled, and eome
o! the stories told IN connection with his
action during those troublous times, il
true, do not rebound exactly to his credit
as the diplomat,st OF friendly power.
The most compromising OF them hes been
told by Prince De Wittgenstein, who was
military attache to tho Ruaaisn Legation
in Paris during the siege, and who occu-
pied the same relation to the French and
German armies. as bond OF communica.
ton, that Mr.. Washburne did to the Dip
lomats shut up in Paris and the German
Chancellor. Tho Princess story is we'll
worth repeating, IL only to glyo Mr..
Washburno chance to contradict it, or
to include it in the next batch Of "Eem.
iniscenceB." E,s.0s..
Before and during the siege OF Paris the
Prince De Wittgenyteip, who ia the hus-
band OF the Pfincsas Ds Mipg-le, had his
official residence at No. l2O, Champs
Elysee. One day, he said, two ladies' ap.
peared and delivered to his valet two let
tors, accompanied by two louis. The le.tcrs
we're addressed to relatives OF the ladisa
in tho provinces, and tho Rus4iaa Geaer.
al was somewhat sstonished when his
valet presented them to him, with the
gold. He began to stuff myetery, but
1t was insolub!e to him until tho follow.
ing day, when the ladies appeared again
and asked for the return OF the letters
and tho moaey. They told tho Prince
that they had made mistake. They
had been informed that he nude OF him.
self a sort OF German po5.olice; tha. hs
exchanged letters daily with Versailles,
and that on the payment OF 20 francs
(sbout four dollars) he used his facilities
to forward letters through the German
lines to the Psovince'. "But," said the
spokesman Of the two, Two have made a
mistake. II is in the Rue de Chaillot, at
the United States Legation, that the let.
tors are taken." tN6f
The Prince says that he returned tho
Letters and the money and decided to eee
II tho story Of the women was truo. Tho
next day and for ueveral days after, in
order to satisfy himself, he cont letters and
t!Eenty.trnnc pieces to the Legation pre-.
sided over by Mr.. Washburne, who pock.
eted the louis and sent forward the lettere,
Dir. Waah ourne, it is asserted, took M
pains to find out what the letter contained,
and, for ell he kneS, information to tao
German conmandera besiegiug Paris, OF
tho condition Of the defense. must hnye
been sent out daily through his profitable
postotlice: How much money be made
by this thrifty ;bus scsrcely diplomatic
stroke OF bueiness nobody but himee!i
knowF, but for the truth Of tho story tho
Prince Dc Witsgonatein etnnds ready to
vouch. ,>rg2s. ~